For a journalist who covers Bollywood musicals extensively, a bit of theatrics and razzle-dazzle in a restaurant is always welcome. However, what hits the sweet spot is when all that production is accompanied by good food.
Going by that yardstick, the swanky carnivore culinary hot spot The Doors Freestyle Grill restaurant at Al Seef has mastered that technique to perfection. They love to rustle up some drama when it comes to serving their signature dishes, making the dining experience memorable for any food aficionado. The gravy? The dishes at this upscale Turkish fusion restaurant taste even better than the wildly entertaining way it’s served up.
Consider this: a golden trolley rolls up to your table. On it, there’s a perforated wooden block that serves as a bed for beef sushi rolls. A uniformed server walks in with a blow torch and proceeds to sear it to perfection. There are flames everywhere for a minute, before it reaches our table. The beef-encased sushi melts in your mouth, both spicy and smoky at the same time. The explosion of flavours makes it irresistible.
Another dish that will rock your dhow is the Beef Butterfall Steak. A trolley with a giant bone branching out of it might be irksome for the meat-averse, but to a person who loves to suck on a bone marrow, that sight is simply splendid.
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Now back to the Beef Butterfall Steak. If you though beef-seared sushi was divine, then wait until you watch how this steak is dressed up before it reaches our table. The waiter pours an orange and butter sauce onto the bone, which then makes its way into the tenderloin slices. You see them being seared, smoked and rested in front of our eyes. Does it enhance the taste? Definitely.
My dining companion, who is a seafood lover, vouches for the giant king prawns. It was smothered in a spicy garlic marinade, but the flavours were never overpowering. The wooden board that it came in had rose petals strewn around. It was pretty, but most importantly it was tasty.
One of the best parts about this restaurant is that they take the quality of meat and seafood seriously. Sourced from some of the best butcheries, the meat was supreme.
There were dishes that were served to us fuss-free. The lamb chops that made its way to the table did what it said on the tin: no-frills, but filled with succulent flavours.
The colourful pomegranate salad peppered with balsamic vinegar and fanned with goat’s cheese was sweet and tangy.
The service was attentive, without being hovering. The dessert was equally dramatic. Called the Eden Garden, a giant chocolate ball perched on a rose gold tray filled with sweet goodies including a bowl of fresh fruit slices and creme brulee made it to our table. Here too, the waiter whipped up his blow torch to trigger a mini explosion. What’s dinner without some drama?
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It might feel excessive, but this is one of those restaurants that seem to revel in uniting good food with stellar presentation. Expect a lot of rose petals and edible flowers here.
As far as ambience goes, this is one of the most tastefully done-up restaurants. Overlooking the Al Seef waters, the dark-wood interior, the ivory leather seats and the rose gold dinnerware and cutlery made it a plush setting. This restaurant might set you back by at least Dh600 for a meal for two, but good cuts of meat rarely come cheap.
If you are looking for succulent steaks served with flourish, then knock on The Doors Freestyle Grill with all your might.
Where: Doors Freestyle Grill, Al Seef St Dubai.
Timings: 1pm to 1am.
